Stair carpet, pad, and the like



Dec. 31, 1935. K, .1 MCKENZIE 2,026,317

STAIR CARPET, PAD AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 5, 1934 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,.ffsxflqf' wf l l l' r IIHIIIIIIIHIIIIHIIIHIHIIIHIIIHHIIHIllIlIIIIIHlllIlIIIIIIII /0 Z/ "si Dec. 3l, 1935.

' K. J, MCKENZIE 2,026,317

STAIR CARPET, PAD AND THE LIKE Filed oct. 5, 1934 2 snetssneet 2 n l nPatented Dec. 31, 1935 .UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE t y 2,626,317 s'rA1RCARPET, PAD AND THE LIKE Kenneth J. McKenzie, Chicago, Ill. Applicationoctober 3, 1934, serial No. '146,757 "1 claim. `(el. 13544-56) m 'I'hisinvention relates to improvements in stair I carpets, pads, and thelike, and, more especially, to improved means for attaching the same tothe treads and risers of a stairway.

It has been found heretofore that the carpeting of a stairway requiresconsiderable expense, both for labor and material. The latter item aloneis ordinarily rather large because of the long single strip or piece ofcarpet required for covering a stairway in the manner heretofore in use.

One of the principal .features of my invention is the saving of greatexpense in material by employing a number of` small` pieces of carpet.for the purpose.4 Ilhis permitsthe use of remnants and odds-and-ends andthus effects a great saving in cost of material.

By the use of my invention, I am also Vable to save expense in the itemof labor. By the use of my invention, the separate pieces of carpet andthe pads can be easily and quickly applied.

By the use of my invention, a great variety of new eiects can beobtained. In the first place, it is possible to cover a stairwaycompletely with pieces all of the same material and color so that whencomplete, the stairway has the appearance of being covered by a. singlestrip of material as in the past. Consisting of separate pieces,however, there is a great saving in the cost of material. Besides this,if desired, the carpeting of the risers may be omitted, applyingseparate pieces of carpet and pads to the treads alone. There is thuseffected a great saving in the quantity of material required. Ifdesired, the treads and risers can both be covered, using materialofdifferent colors or kinds on the risers from that used on the treads.This arrangement can be employed to give new and unusual effects. Also,it is obvious that, in the practice of my invention, a great variety ofcombinations of colors, materials, and the like, may be used on thetreads and risers themselves. In fact, it is possible to incorporateparticular designs, lettering, wording, advertising matter, and thelike, in the separate pieces applied to the treads or risers to givemany diierent effects. None of these could be obtained practically bythe use of a single strip of carpet as has been employed -in the past.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully asI proceed with my specification.

In those forms of devices embodying the features of my invention shownin the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of a piece ofcarpet and pad with a backing; Fig. 2 is a view taken as indicated bythe line 2 of Fig. 1-; Fig. 3 is a view taken as indicated by the line 3of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows the same applied to the tread of a stairway;Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a piece of carpet and pad; Fig. 6 is a Viewtaken as indicated by the line 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a View showing thesame applied to the tread of a stair; Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig.6, showing the padonly; and Fig. 9 is a view of a stairway; showingtheuse of separate pads and a continuous strip of carpet. 10

' VOne of the principal features of my invention is the provision of ametallic holding or binding member to be used at the edge. of a piece ofcarpet or pad to hold the carpet and padtogether or to hold the carpet,pad and backing material 15 together, or else to hold the edge of thepad alone. By means of such metallic member, the

. attaching of the carpet or pad is greatly facilthe carpet. Under thefront and back edges of the backing I2 is a strip of metal I3 providedwith upwardly projecting prongs I4 extending through the base I0a of thecarpet and clinched thereover. These prongs are short enough so thatwhen they are clinched, they are hidden in the nap I 0b. The prongs I4may be formed by cutting triangular holes I5 in the strips I3 andbending the cut portion upwardly, leaving the same attached at one edge.These holes I5 may then be used for application of the tacks or nails IBto attach the unit to the stair tread I 1. If desired, of course, thenails I6 may be driven right through the strips I3, which may be made ofsuitably soft metal.

I prefer to apply a few wire staples I8 to fasten the pad II and backingl2 together to prevent the former from slipping out of place.

It will be seen that, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, I have formed a unitcomprising a rectangular piece of carpet with a pad fastenedtheretounder the same. The pad is located between the backing and thecarpet and the metal strips attaching the edges of the backing andcarpet together keep the pad between them. This unit may be applied to astair tread, as shown in Fig. 4, by using the tacks or nails I6. When soapplied, the strips I3 are entirely hidden from view. If desired, thetreads I9 may be covered with rectangular pieces of carpet 20 by meansof the tacks 2 I. As stated above, the carpet 20 may be of the samecolor and material as the carpet l or may be different in this or otherrespects. If desired, it is obvious also that the pieces of carpet 20may be entirely omitted from the risers and the treads I1 only covered.

I shall now describe the device of Figs. 5, 6 and 7. As here shown, Iemploy a different kind of strip from the strip I3 shown in Figs. 1 to4. As here shown, the metal strip used is indicated by II3 and is bentdouble along a substantially median longitudinal line so as to form saidstrip into a sort of clamp. The inner edges arebent inwardly, asindicated by I I3a and I I3b to form a clamping eiect. The strip isprovided with suitable holes I I5 and I I5si for the reception of tacksor nails. As shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, IIU indicates, in general, arectangular piece of carpet. Below this is a pad III of substantiallythe same size and shape. The front and back edges of the carpet and padare fastened together by the clamping strips I I3, as shown in Figs. 6and 7.

The carpet and pad thus form a single unit that may be applied to thetread I I1 of a stairway, as shown, by means of the tacks or nails IIS.

I shall now describe the device of Figs. 8 and 9. As here shown, strips2 I3 are shown similar to the j strips I I3. Instead of using thesestrips to fasten together the edge of adjacent pieces of carpet andpads, I employ the same upon the edges of a pad 2II alone. A pluralityof such pads may then be attached to the treads 2 I'I of a stairway,

as shown in Fig. 9, by the tacks 2I6. Over the pads thus attached may beplaced a single strip of carpet 2li] in the well-known manner to coverthe entire stairway.

The pieces of carpet used in the devices of Figs. 5 l to 4, inclusive,may have their edges bound, or rubber-backed carpet may be used. In thedevice of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the strips II3 serve to bind the edges ofthe carpet so that no binding is necessary. 10

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that it is capable of many modications. Changes,therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in theappended claim, in which it is my intention to claim all noveltyinherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in View of the priorart.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A unit adapted for attachment to the tread of a stairway, including; arectangular piece of carpet; a piece of backing material of substan- 95`tially the same size and shape under the carpet; means for attaching thefront and back adjacent edges of the carpet and backing materialtogether, said means including a metal strip under the backing materialwith upwardly projecting prongs clinched over the carpet base and hiddenin the nap of the carpet; and a pad between the carpet and backingmaterial.

KENNETH J. McKENZIE.

